Safety rail-coupling device.



W. S. BEEMAN.

SAFETY RAIL COUPLING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED FEB.18, 1914.

1,100,862. Patented June 23, 1914.

, X 1 7% j a! ii "illmi ai i- WILBERN sxsnniizen, or BATES crrY, mssouar.

:AFETY RAIL-COUPLING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, \VILBERN SAMUEL BEEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bates City, in the county of Lafayette and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Rail-Coupling Devices; and I, do

hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tov make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in rail clamps, and has for its principal object the provision of a clamp which will prevent the rail from spreadin sinking, or creeping.

Another object of the invention is to providea simple and effective means which may be easily and quickly put in position on a rail-road rail without materially changing its construction.

' A further object of the invention is to provide arail clamp wherein the jaws will re- --:mainin the proper position until changed by the action of a person, preventing the clamp from becoming removed accidentally.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts which will he more fully set forth in the following specj ficat-ion which, I v

Figure 1 is a side View of a clamp constructed in accordance with this invention showing the same in position on a railroad rail, Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the clamp, and Fig. 3 is an end view and accompanying drawings in of one of the clamp members to clearly illusternally screw threaded as illustrated Fig. 2 and is adapted to receive the end of the operating rod 5 by means of which the clamp is tightened. The body portion of theclamp has formed integrally therewith the head engaging element 6 which is adapted to lie beneath the head of the rail upon Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 18, 1914. Serial N o. 819,456.

Patented June 23, 1914.

which the device is used and keep thesame from bending. A flange engaging member 7 1s formed integrally with the body )ortlon and extends transversely thereo as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. This flange en gaging extension 7 is provided along its free end with the teeth 8 which are adapted to cooperate with the opposite rail flange and lock the whole firmly in place.

The cotiperating rail clamp 2 comprises the rail web engaging portion 9 which is provided with the flange engaging portion 10 having formed at its free end the teeth 11 which are adapted to cooperate with the teeth 8 for an obvious purpose. The bar 5 above referred to, is provided at one end with a right hand thread and at the opposite end with a left hand thread which are adapted to coiiperate with the internally screw threaded aperture 4 to draw the clamp members 1 together. An enlarged portion 12 is formed on the bar intermediate its ends and is provided with the flat faces 13 to permit of the use of a wrench or similar tool for tightening the clamp members. Formed integrally with the bar near each end but spaced inwardly therefrom are provided the annular collars 14 which form the limit for the inward movement of the clamping element 2 when the device is in use.

It will be apparent from the foregoing, that in use the device is put in place on the rail with the outer clamping element removed. These elements are then slipped over the threaded end of the bar and said bar turned, thereby drawing the elements toward each other and firmly clamping the rail in place. Should it be desirable the ends of the bar may be extended and lock nuts placed in position-thereon, thus preventing the devices from becoming loosened and causing any damage thereby.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodi ment of this invention it is to be understood that such changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of parts as will fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

- 1. A device of the character described comprisinga bar provided with an enlarged portion intermediate its ends, said enlarged portion being provided with squared faces to permit of the use of awrench, the ends of the bar being oppositely threaded, collars secured to-the'bar great its ends, but spaced inwardly therefrom, a pair of clampwlements adapted to be reinovably secured to the ends of the bar, and teeth on each of said clamp I elements to hold the same in proper position.

2. A device of the character described comprising a bar, a Wrench engaging portion formed intermediate the ends of the bar, collars secured to the bar near each end, the ends of the bar being threaded in opposite directions, a pair of rail clamps adaptedto I a be removably secured to each end of the bar,

one of said rail clamps abutting the collar,

and the other of said rail clamps being internally screw threaded and adapted to be drawn toward the first mentioned rail clamp to secure a rail between the clamps, and teeth on each of the clamps to hold the same in proper relation when the device is in use.

' I In testimony Whereotlgl iiiix my signature'in presence of two ir'itn'esses.

WILBERN s; 'BEEMAN. Witnesses: V i

r G. FQYOUREE,

ARCH. BROWN. 

